ANTONY                     Make me not offended

In your distrust.

CAESAR                      I have said.

ANTONY                                 You shall not find,

Though you be therein curious, the least cause

For what you seem to fear. So, the gods keep you,

And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends.

We will here part.

CAESAR          Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well.

The elements be kind to thee, and make

Thy spirits all of comfort. Fare thee well.   (3.2.33-41)

Antony is justifiably annoyed by Caesar’s lengthy admonishment: make me not offended in your distrust, he says, smoothly. Don’t push it, don’t insult me with your lack of faith (and there’s always left unsaid in these exchanges between the two of them an awareness of Caesar’s relative youth and lack of experience in comparison with Antony’s maturity and sophistication, and Antony likes to push back at him). I have said; OK, that’s it, I’ve said my piece, I’m done, is Caesar’s not hugely gracious response to that. Antony presses his point: you shall not find, though you be therein curious—no matter how much you dig, how assiduously you spy on us and have us watched—the least cause for what you seem to fear. The seem to fear is pointed—you appear to be worried, little man, what are you worrying about? Is it my track record as a lover? As a soldier? As a politician? Are you being a bit paranoid here, over-sensitive? Caesar’s lack of specificity can come across as prissy or prudish, his reluctance to specify what it is exactly he fears Antony might do. Antony, however, is courteous and in control: so, the gods keep you, and make the hearts of Romans serve your ends. Long may the people remain loyal to you and do your bidding without complaint! That’s also a threat, however. The people are fickle, and the people love me, says Antony. Watch out. So, we will here part, now I’ve reminded you of that, he says.

Unsurprisingly, Caesar doesn’t engage with the threat, turning again to his sister Octavia. It can be played that she’s his only concern here, that he doesn’t really listen to Antony; it can be played for a laugh, even (farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well)—but it’s more interesting if he does register what Antony’s getting at and covers his disquiet by once again performing his close bond with his sister, another reminder that her role here is to be a political pawn. Caesar might be just slightly embarrassed at what he’s abandoning Octavia to, the near-certainty of her husband’s infidelity and of becoming caught in the cross-fire between him and her brother: the elements be kind to thee (never mind the elements, what about the politicians? What about the media?) and make thy spirits all of comfort. Chin up! Cheer up, love, it might never happen. Hmmmm. Neither Caesar nor Antony is behaving well here, but Antony’s much better at this sort of thing, because he cares far less what other people think of him.